Ever wish you could be someone rich and famous? Believe it or not, there are people who want to be you, and they'll do anything to get hold of your identity. Millions of people have their identity stolen every year. The best way to deal with identity theft is to prevent it. Here are some tips:

• Don’t write your PIN on your ATM card or on anything else. Make sure no one can see the numbers you’re entering at an ATM.
• Buy a shredder and use it for any documents that contain personal information or for pre-approved credit card offers before discarding them.
• Consistently use your full name on all financial accounts. Every statement and bill should be addressed the same so you notice discrepancies.
• Keep track of your credit card accounts so you know if a bill is missing or unauthorized purchases were made. If a credit card expires and you don't receive a new one, call the issuer immediately to make sure it wasn’t misrouted.
• Keep a list of all your credit cards, their expiration dates, and emergency cancellation numbers in a safe place at home.
• Get a credit report once a year to check for errors or unauthorized accounts.
• Never leave outgoing bill payments in your home mailbox; drop them in a mailbox or use a free electronic bill payment system like Access 24.
• If you're moving, update your address immediately at the post office and every organization you do business with so statements, credit information, or new cards aren’t delivered to your old address.
• Don’t carry your Social Security card in your wallet. Don’t use your Social Security number as an account number or for identification.
• Never give your Social Security number or any of your account numbers to someone who calls you on the phone. A credit card company or financial institution will NEVER call and ask for your account number.

Internet scammers casting about for people's financial information have a new way to lure unsuspecting victims: They go "phishing." Phishing is a high-tech scam that uses unsolicited e-mail to deceive consumers into disclosing credit card numbers, account information, Social Security numbers, passwords, and other sensitive information.

To avoid getting caught, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) offers this advice:

If you get an e-mail that warns you an account of yours will be shut down unless you reconfirm your billing information, do not reply or click on the link in the e-mail. Instead, contact the company cited in the e-mail using a telephone number or Web site address you know to be genuine.

Avoid e-mailing personal and financial information. Before submitting financial information on a Web site, look for the "lock" icon on the browser's status bar. It signals that your information is secure during transmission. (FYI - When contacting TFCU, send an e-mail to info@altra.org and request a secure e-mail connection. One of our staff members will reply with a secure e-mail and instructions on how to access it.)

Open and review credit card and credit union account statements as soon as you receive them to determine if there are unauthorized transactions or charges.

Report suspicious activity to the FTC. If you believe you've been scammed, file a complaint at www.ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft, and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.

The FTC works to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and provides information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. Click on www.ftc.gov/ftc/consumer.htm for a wealth of valuable info from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Are you tired of receiving dozens of pre-approved credit card offers in the mail? These offers aren’t just annoying; they are potentially dangerous because a lost, stolen, or discarded pre-approved offer can be used to fraudulently open a credit card in your name. It’s easy to protect yourself and stop the flow of pre-approved credit offers by calling a toll-free opt-out line at 888-567-8688. This one call will stop all credit bureaus from allowing your credit report to be reviewed for pre-approval offers. You can choose to stop receiving pre-approved offers for a two-year period or permanently. You’ll be asked for identifying information such as your name, social security number, and birthdate; all information you enter into the system is confidential. In about 10 to 12 weeks, you will stop receiving unsolicited credit offers. In the meantime, remember to tear up any pre-approved offers before tossing them in the trash